


Oh Captain, My Captain

by RealDaveofDaves



Series: The Maze of Moments - A Clay and Justin Story [15]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Basketball, Drug Addiction, High School, Mentor/Protégé, Past Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 03:40:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18275033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealDaveofDaves/pseuds/RealDaveofDaves
Summary: In which Justin has a discussion with a freshman basketball player and opens up about his past...





	Oh Captain, My Captain

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place in the context of the upcoming "A Maze of Moments Book Two - Senior Year," coming later this spring!

 

Zach Dempsey dribbled the ball and walked up from half court. Once he reached the top of the key, he crouched some and began to dribble faster. Facing him, Justin Foley-Jensen went into a defensive stance - arms spread, eyes shifting quickly between the ball and Zach, feet moving as he tried to anticipate his teammate's movements. As Zach picked up speed, he lifted the ball as if he was going to take a jump shot, and as he did so Justin left his feet in an attempt to block. However, the fake worked perfectly, as one co-captain moved to his right while the other co-captain was in the air, and a picture perfect layup was made.

Two points.

Justin looked behind him and fist bumped Zach as he dribbled the ball back over and stood next to him.

"Okay, so what did I do wrong there?"

It was the new school year and the basketball season had just started, and Coach Patrick was trying something different. For the first forty-five minutes of freshman practice, members of the varsity squad, specifically the co-captains, would run it. They would teach fundamentals, run drills, and share their experience. He watched from the sidelines, jotting down notes about this player or that, as he spoke to the freshman coach. It was the third day of this new arrangement, and so far it was working well. There was one freshman that the coaches were keeping an eye on, however, because of his actions during the practices when it came to one of the captains.

Justin's question was answered by one of the fourteen year olds who had raised his hand. "You jumped and he didn't?"

"That's right. You never leave your feet until your man does. If you do, he has a perfect opening to the hoop, and that's a basket. Too easy. It's all about timing, watching your man _and_ the ball, and keeping your poise. It's a lot to do all at once, but the more you do it? The better you're gonna get. We're gonna run that again, but this time Zach's gonna take a jump shot. Now he's like...a tree, or whatever..." That caused Zach and some of the others to laugh. "...but if my timing is on point, I should get my hand on the ball, or at least get him to take his eye off the net and mess up his shot. Remember, I can't touch his hand, or it's a foul. Ready, Zach?"

"When you are, Little Jensen," Zach grinned.

"What did I say about that? And in front of the freshies?"

"Hey, you called me a tree. Fair is fair."

They ran the drill again, and as Justin had explained the demonstration this time saw him jump at the same time as Zach and get his fingertips on the ball as it was released.

"All right, see? Nothing to it. Okay, so line up....Zach's gonna feed you the ball, you're going to see if you can fake a shot on me and then we'll pair up."

The first five freshmen players took their turn, dribbling from the half court line to the arc, and getting a word of encouragement from Justin after their attempt:

"Nice job, that's perfect."

"Okay...keep your eyes on me more, gotta watch your man..."

"Careful, you almost double dribbled."

"Almost, man! Next time!"

"Remember...not until I leave my feet...."

The sixth player narrowed his eyes and scowled as he took the bounce pass from Zach, dribbled up court, and drove through Justin, knocking him down hard on his way to making a strong layup.

"Okay, well." Justin said as he sat up. "So, that's called a charging foul because my feet were set and I had position. If I'd been moving, it would've been a blocking foul."

"Mayer!" Coach Patrick bellowed. "Front and center! Now!"

As the freshman jogged over to the coach, Zach came over and helped Justin get to his feet. "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"What's up with that kid? Every time you try and show something he pulls this shit. He doesn't with me....what did you do to piss him off?"

"Damned if I know. I barely know the names of these kids yet." Looking over at the sideline, he could see Coach Patrick wagging his finger and lecturing to the freshman, whose last name Justin now knew at least. It looked like Mayer was pleading his case, or trying to, unsuccessfully, as after another minute he turned and walked slowly in the direction of the locker room, his head down.

"Uh oh."

"Looks like we're down a man."

"Hey, take over, okay? I'm gonna see what's up."

Zach nodded as Justin jogged over in the direction of the coaches. "Okay, back to it! Let's pair up now, grab a ball off the rack, each man attempts five fakes."

 

* * *

 

 

Camden Mayer sat on the bench in front of his locker, slowly undoing the laces on his right shoe with a sigh.

"Hey."

Startled, he looked up to see Justin had come into the locker room. He got to his feet quickly and took a step back.

"Whoa, whoa...easy. It's Camden, right? Just relax, man. All I wanna do is talk." Justin had raised his hands in a defensive manner. "Chill out, okay? Nothing's gonna happen, I promise. I'm Justin Jensen. I figure if you're gonna be charging into me and fouling me, we might as well introduce ourselves, right?" He extended his hand, and the freshman looked at it warily before slowly reaching out his own to shake it.

"You prefer Camden or Cam?"

He got a shrug in response.

"Why don't you sit back down, and let's talk, yeah?" He straddled the bench as Camden slowly sat back down in front of his locker, head turned in Justin's direction slightly.

"What's up, man? Why have you been doing that shit?"

Rather than answer, Camden turned his head away again.

"Camden, it's all right. The worst that can happen is Coach Patrick kicking you off the team, and he just did that. It's okay. Talk to me."

Swallowing heavily, Camden took a deep breath. "You....you're co-captain."

"I am."

"And you....the other guys, kids here at school....they say.... they told me...."

"What?"

"You're a drug user."

And there it was. Justin blinked and sat up straight. This could now go one of two ways. On the one hand, the Old Justin would've gotten defensive and probably would've started throwing his weight around, using some colorful language and resorting to the bully that he was. That would teach this kid. More than that, word would get back to the other freshmen to remember their place and show some goddamn respect. Didn't like it? Fuck you, do it anyway.

New Justin, though, did what he always did in a situation like this, and especially since the start of senior year. He asked himself a simple question:

_What would Clay do?_

"They're right. I'm a drug addict."

Camden looked back at Justin in shock. "But...you're co-captain. You're this uber popular guy. Why do you do that?"

"Well, I don't anymore, that's the thing."

"So...like, you're cured or whatever?"

Justin laughed a little and smiled, shaking his head. "No. It doesn't work that way. There is no cure, it's not that kind of a disease. You learn to manage addiction and live with it. That's something I'm going to have to do for the rest of my life. But I'm doing it, you know?"

"How?"

"I take medicine. Go to a drug counselor and meetings. I have a great support system with my adopted parents and brother, my girlfriend, all my friends, the team. All of that helps me and makes me want to get better. I'll be clean and sober seven months next month. But, like...that doesn't mean I won't wake up tomorrow morning and get that itch, and go out and score some shit."

"Are you gonna do that?"

Justin shook his head. "No."

"But...like, you just said you were clean, you don't use anymore. So...why would you even wanna do that, or think it?"

"Because. I'm a drug addict."

Camden exhaled, a little frustrated. "I don't get it."

"It's okay. It's hard to 'get' or understand. My brain works differently than yours, let's put it that way."

"So like, if you've got all this going on, co-captain and all that, why did you even start to use drugs anyway?"

"Well," Justin sighed, "around this time last year, I ran away from what was my home at the time, and I lived on the streets. I also spent time in juvenile detention. It was rough, you know? And my mom - my birth mother - she made some bad choices in her life, and she used drugs. So did her boyfriends. I was exposed to a lot growing up."

"And all that made you use drugs?"

"That stuff didn't _make_ me use heroin, Camden. But it didn't help. No, I used heroin because....I'm a drug addict. You still haven't really answered my question, though. Is this why you were doing all that, talking shit to me under your breath? Charging me?"

Camden sighed again. "My brother. He...went off to college last year. He started using. This past spring....he had an overdose."

Justin's face fell. "Aw, man," he said quietly. "I'm really sorry to hear that."

The freshman nodded and wiped at his eyes. "He's...in a hospital now. He has trouble talking, moving around. Remembering stuff. Sometimes...he doesn't know who I am. I guess I'm just...mad at him."

"It hurts to be mad at him, huh? Do you...have you talked to someone? Your mom and dad?"

"They don't want to," Camden shook his head, sniffing and wiping away a couple more tears. "When I try to bring it up, talk about Sean, they just, like, change the subject or whatever. They get angry."

"Well....you know, if you want, you can always come talk to me about stuff. Or, my brother, Clay."

"Wait...Clay Jensen. That's your brother? The runner dude?"

"Yeah," Justin laughed, "that's him. He's a great guy to talk to about things, you know? Our friends, too. This is kinda what we do, we look out for each other, try and look out for other people, too. I'm sure they'd be okay with that. You keep stuff like this inside, it's just gonna hurt more, you know? Talk to us, or to coach. Hell, even your guidance counselor or a teacher or something. Trust me, it's a hell of a lot better if you do that instead of being angry all the time. I know a little bit about all of this. Okay?"

Camden nodded and looked back down at his shoes.

Sighing, Justin sat up straight again. "Camden, do you like playing basketball?"

"Hell yeah I do."

"Did you like being on the freshman team?"

He nodded. Sadly.

"Well. Tell you what. We've got twenty minutes left of practice. Why don't you tie your shoes back up, let's get back to the floor, and finish it out. And you and me, we can start over again. Sound good?"

"But....but, Coach Patrick..."

"I already talked to Coach Patrick. Being co-captain means you have a little pull now and then. Whaddya say? You ready to be a part of this team?"

"Yeah....yeah, I am! Hey....I'm sorry, for the way I acted, the crap I said. It's all just....it's a lot."

"I get it, we're cool. Just don't keep it bottled up from now on."

"I won't. Cap."

"All right, then." Justin got up and walked back towards the exit, just as a very sweaty Clay came in, out of breath from his own practice.

"Hey, JJ...what's up? Shouldn't you be in the gym or something?"

"God, you stink!"

"Dude...I just got through with a six mile run, and this was a light day. How am I supposed to smell?"

"Better than this?"

Clay rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Get to practice."

"That's what I'm about to do. Freshman! How 'bout it, you coming or what?" he called over his shoulder.

"Coming, Cap!" Camden jogged over and joined the brothers.

"Clay, this is Camden. He's on the freshman team and he might come talk to us at lunch soon."

"Hey, good to meet you, I'm Clay. And, cool, yeah. Sounds good."

"I'll see you at home, dumbass. Save me some dinner."

"If you're lucky, shithead," Clay grinned. He watched them walk off and out to the gym floor, and as they did so, he saw Justin put his hand on Camden's shoulder and give a firm squeeze.

"Oh, captain, my captain," he said to himself as he pulled off his sweaty shirt and walked over to his locker, the sound of basketballs dribbling coming from the gym as other members of the cross country team began to filter in.

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Mazers!
> 
> Sometimes, you get a plot bunny that just hops into your head and doesn't want to leave. That's the case with this short story, which will fit into the bigger picture of the Mazeverse. I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I started thinking about how our heroes would change, how they would be different and more mature in many ways, following my first big story. Entering senior year, and as the Over Protective Deranged Scooby Gang, their "mission" as it were, is to look out for each other and for others when and where they can. So, Ye Writer asked himself, how would Justin go about doing this, especially if it's something he had to do on his own? Well, obviously he'd ask himself "What would Clay do?" and then he'd try to do just that. 
> 
> What better vehicle for this to play out than his own frankness with his drug addiction, and in the context of his passion of basketball? Looks like one of our heroes just may have taken someone under his wing!
> 
> So now you know a little bit more of some of the things coming up in Maze 2! Thank you for reading this one, and as ever I appreciate your kudos, comments, and feedback! I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought!
> 
> Stay tuned, Clay and Justin will return very soon! Take care!


End file.
